Research Progress on the Chemical Composition, Pharmacological Effects and Veterinary Clinical Application of Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.).
- 1College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Gansu Normal University for Nationalities, Hezuo 747000, China.
- 2College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China.
- 3Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China.
Abstract
Veterinary practice faces rising antimicrobial resistance, driving interest in plant-derived alternatives. Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.), a medicinal edible herb with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties, is a promising candidate. This narrative review synthesizes 160 studies into a unified framework linking chemical composition (flavonoids, alkaloids, polysaccharides, organic acids), pharmacological activities (12 major effects), and veterinary applications. Mechanistically, polysaccharides act as immunomodulators via the TLR4/MyD88 pathway; flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol) exert antioxidant/anti-inflammatory effects through NF-κB/MAPK inhibition and Nrf2 activation; organic acid extracts show potent anti-MRSA activity (MIC 0.5-1.0 mg/mL); and alkaloids enhance insulin secretion. In vivo, dietary purslane at 2-3% improves broiler growth performance and feed conversion, while supplementation enriches omega-3 fatty acids in eggs and meat. However, translational barriers persist, including limited pharmacokinetic data, lack of large-scale field trials, and insufficient safety and residue-depletion information for food-producing animals. We outline future priorities, including species-specific pharmacokinetic studies, field efficacy trials, and quality-control standards, positioning purslane as a mechanism-rich, antibiotic-sparing candidate for further investigation in veterinary therapeutics and functional feed additives.
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BibTeX
@article{ren2026research,
title = {{Research Progress on the Chemical Composition, Pharmacological Effects and Veterinary Clinical Application of Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.).}},
author = {Jianming Ren and Peijin Song and Lan Zhang and Pengfei Zhao and Shiyu Tao and Jiancheng Jiang and Fanlin Wu and Xinsheng Lu and Peng Ji},
journal = {Veterinary sciences},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/vetsci13101017},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42944113},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Research Progress on the Chemical Composition, Pharmacological Effects and Veterinary Clinical Application of Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.).
AU - Jianming Ren
AU - Peijin Song
AU - Lan Zhang
AU - Pengfei Zhao
AU - Shiyu Tao
AU - Jiancheng Jiang
AU - Fanlin Wu
AU - Xinsheng Lu
AU - Peng Ji
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/26
JO - Veterinary sciences
DO - 10.3390/vetsci13101017
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42944113
AB - Veterinary practice faces rising antimicrobial resistance, driving interest in plant-derived alternatives. Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.), a medicinal edible herb with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties, is a promising candidate. This narrative review synthesizes 160 studies into a unified framework linking chemical composition (flavonoids, alkaloids, polysaccharides, organic acids), pharmacological activities (12 major effects), and veterinary applications. Mechanistically, polysaccharides act as immunomodulators via the TLR4/MyD88 pathway; flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol) exert antioxidant/anti-inflammatory effects through NF-κB/MAPK inhibition and Nrf2 activation; organic acid extracts show potent anti-MRSA activity (MIC 0.5-1.0 mg/mL); and alkaloids enhance insulin secretion. In vivo, dietary purslane at 2-3% improves broiler growth performance and feed conversion, while supplementation enriches omega-3 fatty acids in eggs and meat. However, translational barriers persist, including limited pharmacokinetic data, lack of large-scale field trials, and insufficient safety and residue-depletion information for food-producing animals. We outline future priorities, including species-specific pharmacokinetic studies, field efficacy trials, and quality-control standards, positioning purslane as a mechanism-rich, antibiotic-sparing candidate for further investigation in veterinary therapeutics and functional feed additives.
SN - 2306-7381
ER -